Rights Advocates Renew Calls for Legal Clarity on FGM in Sierra Leone

Human rights advocates, legal experts, and survivors are intensifying calls for greater legal clarity regarding the status of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Sierra Leone.

Despite years of national debate and sustained pressure from international human rights organizations, campaigners argue that uncertainty remains over the existence and scope of laws specifically addressing the practice.

Locally associated with the Bondo initiation society, FGM remains a sensitive cultural issue in Sierra Leone. However, activists maintain that the absence of clear and enforceable legal provisions leaves women and girls vulnerable to physical and psychological harm.

Organizations, including the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone and various legal commentators, have repeatedly highlighted the need for stronger legal protections and clearer policy direction on the issue.

Among those advocating for reform is Alimatu Dimonekene MBE, a survivor of FGM, global anti-FGM campaigner, and Chief Executive Officer of A Girl At A Time. She said she has sought clarification from successive Attorneys General since 2017 regarding the legal framework governing the practice.

“Despite years of advocacy, public dialogue and international attention, survivors continue to ask a simple question: Where is the law that specifically protects women and girls from FGM?” Dimonekene said.

Advocates note that Sierra Leone is a signatory to several international human rights instruments, including the Maputo Protocol and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, both of which discourage harmful traditional practices affecting women and children.

Campaigners further argue that while existing laws relating to bodily harm may provide some legal remedies, they are rarely invoked in cases involving FGM, creating what they describe as a gap in protection and enforcement.

As pressure grows on policymakers, advocacy groups continue to call on Parliament and relevant state institutions to provide clear legal guidance and strengthen protections for women and girls.

They maintain that meaningful progress in safeguarding the rights of girls and women will require clear, enforceable measures that directly address the practice and ensure accountability for violations.